Tag: writing

You Are More Than Your Book

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When I was younger, I could never finish writing a book. Even after I typed “the end”, I’d find a sequel to write, or a spin-off series. In fact, the first seven manuscripts (mind you I started these when I was in 6th grade, so manuscript might be too kind a word) were all directly connected to each other,  featuring the same characters and settings. I simply couldn’t let them go. Their world had become my own.

As my writing journey progressed, that emotional bond to my writing amplified. In fact, some days it seemed my self-esteem was entirely tied to how well my edits went on my book. I’ve noticed this occurring to other writers too, on many different parts of the publishing path. Some might measure their self worth in that request/rejection query pie-chart. Others, in how sizable an advance they receive or how many twitter followers they have. If one is self-published, it’s easy to obsessively watch sales, and let each one impact one’s mood.

But that’s not healthy.

We writers are more than the sum of our manuscript words, or our query stats or our books sales. We are members of families, artists, career-people, athletes and artists.  We’ve achieved so much in our non-writing lives. We’ve bought houses, landed promotions, learned dance moves, taught our dogs to fetch…

We are more than our writing.

So, right now, wherever you are in the writing journey, pause for a moment. Make a list. On paper or on the computer. Include ALL the wonderful things you are, and ALL the things you’ve achieved. Then, keep that list close. Whenever you’re having a bad day editing, or don’t have any book sales, or get a query rejection, review that list.

My list is pinned above my desk. One item on it is “I am a knitter.” And sure enough, I’ve found, on days when the writing is crappity-crap crap, I should pick up my knitting needles to create something new. Something awesome. Something unrelated to my words.

You can do that too. You created amazing words, yes. But you are also an amazing human being, made of so many more parts than just your writing.

 

Falling Back in Love With a Draft

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Writing a novel is a long, slow process. Although the story might start out as a brilliant spark, one that you’re willing to dedicate hours upon hours to, the magic may not last.

If it withers quickly, say, after twenty pages, or half an outline, perhaps that story wasn’t ready to be written yet. Let it go. It may come back stronger later.  However, at least for me, the “I’m in love with this story” feeling lasts for months. Then, one day, BAM. It’ s gone. Perhaps it was a plothole I couldn’t fix, or a bit of a feedback that hit too raw a place for me. Perhaps I just get sick of revising and start dreaming about the good old days of first drafting. No matter what caused it, I’m suddenly in a pit of despair where I can no longer find words or energy to edit.

I’ve committed to the story, I don’t want to give up. So, what do I do?

I don’t recommend whining to your friends, although I’m certainly guilty of this. If they’re not creative, they won’t get the need burning inside you to finish the story. If they are creative they may not be sympathetic to your own struggles, because they’re fighting their own doubt-monsters of writing.

 

A healthy thing to do is to get fresh air. Go for a run. A walk. Dance all night at a concert. Lose yourself in the real world, not the fictional one for a little bit. Or. Just be a cat. Cats know where it’s at.

 

Some people recommend reading published books, but when I’m in my pit of despair, that usually makes me roll around like a dying fish full of self-loathing. “I will never write such wonderful words as these” etc.

Likewise, be cautious around social media. All it might take is is one tweet about another writer’s success for you to feel more like a failure. Likewise, openly proclaiming aaaall your struggles with your draft might make you sort of annoying.

My favorite tip for falling back in love with your work is to return to your creative works. Maybe you don’t want to write in your manuscript, but you want to write short side stories (oh hey! mine are here. Exclusive Short Stories) or create pretty photo sets of your characters on Tumblr (like these! Gif post! With kissing! Non-gif but all the adorable )

If you’re artistic, try drawing scenes from your book. Or if you’re not, maybe consider commissioning an artist (easily found on Tumblr or Deviantart) for a drawing of your characters! This one is a huge one for me. Having an actual picture of the characters that previously were only words on a page re-energized me to tell the story.  My sketches are by the brillant Giles, found here.)


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But if nothing else works, and it’s been weeks, and the feeling still isn’t going away, it is okay to shelve the story for a little bit. Let it rest. Begin a new story. You’ll come back to the old one with fresh eyes soon, and re-write it into a beautiful masterpiece.

 

Either way, soon, you’ll emerge on the other side of the pit of despair. You’ll go back to writing, the words flying fast and furious. Plus, you’ll be a stronger writer for having preserved through this hard time. Now, the next time the doubt-monsters kick in, you’ll know you’ve vanquished them once before. Have you ever felt like giving up on a story? How did you work through it?

Health and the Creative Life

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Creative people aren’t known for being paragons of wellness. There will never be an article called, “Workouts to get a writer’s body.” We tend to seek comfort as we create, so that all our energy goes towards the art we’re intent on making. We scarf down comfort food, guzzle caffeine, and hunch our shoulders low as we curl around the glowing screen of our computers until the wee hours.

But, that kind of life isn’t sustainable. The junk food may lead to stomachaches, the caffeine to headaches. We writers need to take care of our bodies.

Actual photo of a writer after a revising marathon.

 

Here are some of my favorite healthy things.

Green Smoothies.

You can make these as intense as you want. Kale has a peppery taste, but spinach is surprisingly sweet.  Add a handful of frozen berries, a handful of greens, a cup of yogurt, ice cubes, and milk (almond, soy, or regular) into the blender, and give it a whirl.

Running/walking/hiking

When I’m really stuck on a plot point, I know it’s time for fresh air.

Homemade granola bars

Recipe here– so easy to make, healthy, and a great snack when you’re in the middle of writing!

Yoga

Nothing uncoils the knots in my back like a good time on the yoga mat. I recommend Yoga with Adriene on youtube. Her workouts are free, and the ones for the back (both upper and lower) are lifesavers for a writer who hunches over the keyboard. Here’s the link

Herbal tea

Yes. This is me. Yes, you know me as queen of coffee. But I also enjoy peppermint tea for unblocking my brain, and sleepytime tea for relaxing. Rooibos are great for when my heart wants coffee but my head says no more caffeine. It has a similar, nutty taste.

Now, get up, stretch, go for a walk! Then come back and tell me your favorite healthy routine.

Yinz Gonna Read a Book N’at? (Pittsburghese. Translation below)

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*translation “Are you going to read a book?”

** Yinz is the Pittsburgh version of  “Y’all”

*** no one really knows what “N’at” means.

I’d always dreamed of living in a city. As a kid, of course, I usually dreamed about NYC, or Chicago or even London.
I felt at home among skyscrapers, happy in the midst of crowds, alive when all the lights and noise surrounded me. However, I ended up in Pittsburgh, PA, and I couldn’t be happier.

Pittsburgh

 

I’ve got my skyscrapers and my city living full of coffeeshops and live music, but I also get a small town friendliness and community I’ve come to love.  In fact, one of the best things  about Pittsburgh is the vibrant writing community. We have excellent MFA programs at Chatham and Seton Hill, a lovely library system thanks to Andrew Carnegie (just remember in these parts, it’s pronounced “car-NEGGH-gee” rather than New York’s fancy “Carn-e-gee”) and even a really cool program for exiled writers, The City of Asylum.

We have an Andy Warhol museum, a great Children’s museum, incredible theater shows, and amazing parks. Oh, yeah and sports. We have those too. We put french fries in our sandwiches and everyone eats pierogies (we even make vegan ones).

We’ve got films set or partially set here, (Dark Knight!) , video games, (The Last of Us), and plenty of books. The most memorable, for many people is Perks of Being a Wallflower,

Perks Scene

That’s a beautiful shot of a very real part of my city. Likewise, the hit Me, and Earl and the Dying Girl, captures real-life Pittsburghese.

In addition to these Pittsburgh authors, there’s also Joshua David Bellin (aka the YA Guy) author of Survival Colony Nine,Jonathan Auxier , author of The Night Gardener, Laura Lee Anderson, author of Song of Summer, and many others.

Plus we have really cool events. This fall, Rainbow Rowell will be speaking at the library, and this coming weekend, Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman will be speaking at Carnegie Mellon University for FREE! Details below.

So, that’s why I love my odd little big city that thinks it’s a small town. Why do you love your hometown?

 

Details for the event.

Lecture Speakers: Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman
Date: Saturday, August 1, 2015
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Location: Doherty Hall, Room 2315, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The book signing will follow the lecture in the same room.
Registration/Fee: There is no charge to attend the lecture and registration is not required for this portion of the program.

If you’re from Pittsburgh, let me know!

GIVEAWAY! Book & a Bomb! SONG OF SUMMER.

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Welcome to the inaugural post of my monthly giveaway series.

A Book & a Bomb

No, not the exploding type of bomb. A Lush bath bomb that does amazing, magical things to your bathtub. Don’t have a tub? Do what I do, and use half in a big bucket for a lovely foot soak.

Bath bomb in action

These bombs are magical, I’m telling you. Lush is anti-animal testing, all-natural, and full of good products for your skin. Even if you don’t like scented body things, bath bombs, when tucked into a drawer of sheets, will make all your linens smell nice. They’re a simple way to add beauty and good smells to your life.

And what goes better with a relaxing soak than an enjoyable read?

Luxurious baths (or foot soaks) are perfect when paired with a lovely read. That’s why my giveaway will feature a copy of a book I love, and a bath bomb inspired by the book!

For this first giveaway, I’ll be pairing the Lush bath bomb “Blue Skies” with Laura Lee Anderson’s debut YA Contemporary Novel, SONG OF SUMMER.

Keep reading for your chance to win!

SONG OF SUMMER: The thirteen qualities of Robin’s Perfect Man range from the mildly important “Handsome” to the all-important “Great taste in music.” After all, Westfield’s best high school folk musician can’t go out with some shmuck who only listens to top 40 crap. When hot Carter Paulson walks in the door of Robin’s diner, it looks like the list may have come to life. It’s not until the end of the meal that she realizes he’s profoundly deaf.

Carter isn’t looking for a girlfriend. Especially not a hearing one. Not that he has anything against hearing girls, they just don’t speak the same language. But when the cute waitress at Grape Country Dairy makes an effort to talk with him, he takes her out on his yellow Ducati motorcycle.

Music, language, and culture sing back-up as love takes the melody, but just how long can a summer song last?4

 

 

Amazon info click here. 

 

Blue Skies (& Fluffy White Clouds)  bath bomb description.

A deep blue bath of bubbles and scents to induce deep relaxation
Calm your body and mind and slip into a peaceful trance in a tubful of bubbles with our largest bubble bar slice. Exotic frankincense oil has a woody, grounding aroma that blends well with earthy patchouli to relax and restore your state of mind. Lay back and feel yourself float through swirly blue skies and fluffy white clouds of bubbles and into a serene garden of a Far Eastern temple, leaving stress and worries far behind you. For an even greater peace of mind, break your bubble bar in half for two relaxing escapes from the every day. Vegan friendly.

From Lush’s website.

 

To win, enter the Rafflecopter below! This one is open internationally!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go Home, Self-Promo, You’re Drunk

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We’ve all seen that meme of something obviously wrong, and the caption, “Go home, BLANK, you’re drunk,” right? (If not, scroll to the end and witness some lovely examples.)

Well, I’ve got some bad news. Your self-promotional strategy may be drunk too. Pull up a chair, pour a drink of your choice, and listen a metaphor story. Or, scroll past to get to the handy tip sheet on Twitter self-promo without a storytime.

***

Jill is throwing a party. She’s invited friends, including Author Friend Amy, and Bookstore Owner Brandon. Amy has recently released a book. The party starts. As the guests arrive, Amy greets each one with a handshake, and the exact. same. message. “Hiya! Thanks for coming. Buy my book!”

No one listens to Amy. After all, they’ve just met her.

The party kicks off. Someone asks, “Hey, does anyone know anything about ballet? My daughter was–”
“THERE’S BALLET IN MY BOOK!” Amy shouts, sprinting across the room. She’s got the sharp hearing only a desperate, post-launch author could have. “ON PAGE 17! BUY IT!”

No one listens to Amy. The conversation was about ballet shoes. Not books.

Jill, trying one last time to help her author friend out, sets the table so that Amy sits next to Brandon. He’s enjoying his pasta, and hoping his sales clerk isn’t putting copies of Fifty Shades of Grey in the Children’s Coloring Book section again. In other words, Brandon has had a rough day.

“Hey Brandon!” Amy shouts. “HERE! Have ten copies of my book! Autographed! You can give them to anyone!” Amy drops the books onto Brandon’s plate, splattering pasta everywhere. Even if he had liked Amy’s book, he will now always remember it as the book that ruined the one peaceful meal he’s had this week. He had been planning to reach out to Amy, but not until after his dinner.

Brandon the bookseller does not listen to Amy.

The party melts into drinking and dancing. A lovely time is had by all. Except Amy. She’s shouting at no one, standing in the corner. “BUY MY BOOK!” “LIKE ROMANCE? SO DO I! BUY MY BOOK!” “AMAZON loves my book! Here’s a link!”

No one listens to Amy. She is babbling to thin air, about a book no one’s even had a chance to ask her about.

***

This situation may sound extreme, but it’s a mirror of a tactic many author use on Twitter. The insta-DMs as soon as someone follows them, the inserting a mention of their book into every conversation mildly related to them, and the never-ending promotional tweets. This won’t sell any more books than Amy’s attempt will. No one likes to be constantly pitched at, shouted at, or bulldozed over.

Plus, even when I do read a tweet of a book that sounds cool, I view the author’s Twitter page to learn more about her. If her whole page is all promo tweets, I’m less likely to connect to her, and far less likely to buy the book. Selling is about a personal connection. Volume of exposure can’t beat quality of engagement.

Here’s a handy guide to sober up your self-promo

  • NEVER auto direct message new followers.
  • Have at least five normal tweets or replies before sending out another promotional tweet.
  • Don’t jump in unrelated conversations or hashtags to pitch your book.
  • If someone reviews your book and you want to signal boost it, do so once, then keep it on a list of reviews links on your blog.

Promoting yourself on Twitter is a dance, not a boxing match.

If you ever feel like no one listening to your promotion, don’t be like Amy at the party and shout louder. Instead, work on making real, honest connections with other writers, booksellers and readers. Just think of how much more effective that party would have been if she waited until Brandon the Bookseller asked her how she was doing. Then, she could have said, “I’m doing great. I just released a book.” And Brandon, having consumed a yummy dinner, and not having heard thirty shouts about her book already, could say, “Excellent. Would you like to host a workshop and book signing at my store?”

Bam. Success. Well done, sober Amy.

And now, for those drunk memes as promised. (That’s the only reason you kept reading, right?)

.

Recharging Days

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Writers write everyday is a common adage among the author crowd. I’m not so sure it’s true for the rest of the creative world. Surely, an actor is no less an actor if he doesn’t act in a movie every day of his life. Nature photographers can’t photograph beautiful flowers on days the weather is all thunderstorms and hail.

I think the true statement is this: when on deadlines, a writer writes every day.

Deadlines aside, it’s important, I think, to take a break from the project you’re working on sometimes. Even more important if you’ve been working on it for a long time, and you’re hitting a huge stumbling block.

Maybe you’ve sent out 280 queries and haven’t heard from a single agent.

Maybe you’ve been trying to fix a plot hole for six months and your betas are still getting lost in your story’s confusing narrative.

Maybe you’ve totally lost the idea of the story and every word seems like gobbleygook.

This need for space and time away from your art isn’t just a creative person problem. Many professionals tout the benefits of a mental heath day, like in this article from INC.com and this one, from the Huffington Post, provides clear examples of signs you need a break.

So, take a day to clean the house, or go for a run, or knit. At least, that’s how I spend my days off. You might have different hobbies. Clear your mind, and tackle some non-creative pesky tasks on your to-do list. I keep a tab of “worn-out day activities” on my to-do list app, (the incredible 2Do app if you’re curious) so that on mentally rainy days, I can still feel productive by completing little tasks.

But.

Here’s my warning. It’s very easy to let one recharging day become a recharging week. Or a month. And then, suddenly, you’ve lost your flow on your project, and you have no interest in ever putting your butt back in a chair. So, the minute you decide it’s a recharging day, grab your phone or computer, and add a couple timers scheduled for tomorrow and the next day. If you have the functionality, add little reminders about how much you love your creative endeavors. You can even add reminders of what you need to work on next.

Here’s a screenshot of my phone for tomorrow, since I took a break today.

Motivation!

Motivation!

So, that’s my plan to give my brain a break, without losing my place in my writing. What about you? When do you know it’s time for a break? How do you get back to work?

An Interview (+ Giveaway!) with Author Lindsay Randall

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I’m very excited to welcome author Lindsay Randall to my blog today. She was my very first writing mentor, and I still have the notes she gave me saved in my writing folder. I can’t say enough positive things about her. Her encouragement has bolstered my spirits many times. She’s a talented, award-wining author of over twelve novels. Today, we will be discussing her newest book,  Rescued by the Cowboy. I just finished the novel, and I highly recommend it! It’s a perfect read for a summery day, with a romance guaranteed to make you swoon.

Interested? Check out the Rafflecopter below  for a chance to win your very own copy and a Starbucks giftcard! Nothing says summer time like a romantic read and an iced latte! (giveaway open internationally, ebook and ecard delivered via email)

The book is also available for sale here! 

CLICK HERE FOR Rafflecopter giveaway

Randall, Lindsay - Texas Flyboys series - Book 1 - Rescued by the Cowboy...

Lindsay:  Thanks for inviting me to visit with you at Creatively Carrie. I’m glad to be here!

Carrie: Could you tell me a bit about your writing career?

Lindsay: Absolutely. I think of it more as a writing life, though. Writing is what I do—it’s what I’ve always done.

I have this vivid memory of me in second grade, struggling to put a story into words and onto a page. I wasn’t so much striving to get an assignment done as I was awakening to this deep-seated need in me to sculpt a scene with words. Zoom ahead decades later and here I am, responding still to an urge within that wants to write.

I am the author of historical and contemporary romance novels. I also enjoy writing nonfiction articles. By day, I create university fundraising materials. So I pretty much write all the time. I think it was Louis L’Amour who once said a person can be a writer from cradle to grave, or something similar. I like that—and yep, it’s my goal.

Carrie: What is the process like for you? Are you a “plotter” or a “pantser”?

Lindsay: A bit of both. When I begin, I have a plot in mind and know where I’m headed. But then, boom, I get writing and my characters never fail to surprise me. Happens every time.

With Rescued, though, I did stick to an outline of where the story needed to go and what events needed to happen. This book was written during a year’s worth of weekends. Every Saturday I’d get up early, sink into a scene, and stay there until I was finished. I absolutely loved telling this tale. It was pure joy to hit the weekend and spend it with Nick and Tess.

Carrie: What was your favorite thing about writing Rescued?

Lindsay: Diving into the setting! I just loved heading into the mountains of Mexico and imagining all the things Tess and Nick would encounter. The cave scene near the end remains my fave spot/scene for these two characters (well, other than the scene at the zocalo, that is!).

Carrie: I really enjoyed the way you describe settings! Reading Rescued felt like a vacation! Did you face any challenges in the process?

Lindsay: Yes and those challenges came from the same place they always do: juggling full-time work with my creative work, which is mostly a challenge but also a bit of a gift.

When I get bruised by one, the other is always there, inviting me to come soothe myself in a different space.

Carrie: That’s great advice, and something I know I struggle with too. On a lighter note, any fun facts to share about your characters?

Lindsay: Ah, here’s a fun fact about Nick. While Rosie, the miniature pig, took a shine to him, she’s not the first creature to follow at his feet. Animals love Nick. Horses, dogs, even cows—they all just sort of gravitate to him. His brothers found this hilarious, which led to lots of jokes through the years. But whenever there’s an ornery animal to wrangle, they call Nick. 🙂

Oh, and he plays the harmonica even better than he does the guitar. 🙂 🙂

Carrie: Oh, goodness. A musical man with a sensitivity to animals? I feel faint. Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Lindsay:  Don’t let your writing keep you from reading. Make time every day for reading—and read widely. Step outside your comfort zone/zip code/present century and immerse yourself in diverse voices.

Other than that, keep writing. The more you write, the better you’ll write. And the more you read, the better you’ll know what to write and what not to write. (That sounds a bit like I’m saying you’ll encounter bad writing. That’s not what I mean. What I mean is this: The more you encounter the beliefs and ideas of others, the more you come to understand the human condition. Your writing will begin to reflect what it is to be human. And when you can write about that, I suspect you’ll be creating powerful pieces.)

Thank you so much for coming to the blog today, Lindsay! Can’t wait to read your next book!

 

We are stronger than our insecurities.

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A long, long time ago, I promised a post on self-doubt, and how to overcome it. I asked you lovely readers to open up about your fears and worries in the creative world.

And you did. I learned so much from all you, everyone from writes who have never let another person read their story, to published authors working on multi-book deals. Everyone faced very similar fears. Don’t believe me? Check out the word cloud below. Those words showed up in the majority of fears, regardless of “success level.”

wordle

No matter the specifics of the fears, (will anyone like it? will anyone buy it? will I ever make money from it? will I ever find friends?) all the fears came, like many do, from a place of…well, insecurity.

I say that, not out of spite at all. I’m one of you. I’m a ball of insecurity and fears, never sure if I’m enough, if my words are good enough, my jokes are funny enough, my friends like me enough. Every fear you’ve felt, so have I, and so has the rest of the community. Maybe that’s why we’re driven to be creative. We’re looking for “enough.” We’re trying to create something we’re lacking. Maybe that’s why we play gossip games on Twitter, or start cliques. Not because we’re mean, but we’re scared and alone, lashing out like a cornered cat. We’re so sure we will never be enough that we turn our fear on our own creative works, bashing them and calling them stupid.

Here’s the thing. You are enough.

Say it with me.

You are enough.

In your worse moments, when it seems like everyone’s doing better than you, or that you’ll never catch up, that you’ll never have a good day again, or learn the skill to take the work to the next level, say that little phrase. You are enough.

Our business can be a cruel one. It’s full of critiques and rejections.  Some can be helpful. Some can be hurtful. We’re surrounded by our creative idols, whose books fill our shelves, and successes our dreams, and some days it seems like we’ll never be half as talented as them.

Here’s the thing. Your art may always be incomplete, but you are not.

You are complete. You are enough. and WE (notice that word was missing from the word chart) are all in this together. WE can help each other. WE can drive away fears and insecurities together.

We are all enough. Our art is good art. We’ve got this.

❤

Welcome to Twitter, Please Surrender Your Sanity

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Despite the intense-sounding title, this is supposed to be a light-hearted post. As many of you know, Twitter is THE premier watercooler-esque hangout spot for procrastinating creative folks. However, Twitter can be an overwhelming, confusing place. It has an etiquette code all its’ own, and sometimes, stumbling around it can make you feel super old and out of the loop.

 87486_30-rock-hello-steve-buscemi-adult-fellow-kids

Twitter Etiquette 101!

Don’t be an egg. Seriously. (I’m referring to the default Twitter user profile picture of an egg)  Even if it’s just a picture of your favorite anime character, your cat, or a can of soda, it’s better than being an egg. Many people refuse to follow “egg” accounts, because nine times out of ten, they’re a spam account. Twitter users will connect with you better if your profile picture shows some of your personality, even if it’s not a photo of you.

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Like a friend’s thought? A fav will do. Want to end a conversation, but not in a rude way? Just fave the last tweet the other person said. Fav-stars for everyone! However, if you want to signal-boost a friend’s blog post, article, or thought, a retweet will provide them much more exposure.

star

Well, maybe not THIS much exposure

 

Hashtags are great, right? We #should #hastag #EVERYTHING, #right?

Nope. That’s annoying. It also looks spammy, and it’s hard to read. Use hashtags like a seasoning. Put the hashtag at the end of the tweet. However, if you want to discuss a commonly hastagged item, then it’s totally fine. For example, there’s no sense writing “I’m so excited about Pitch Wars. #pitchwars”  Just use, “I’m so excited about #pitchwars.”

Try to avoid using too many hashtags in your bio, too. It’s harder to read, but a few targeted ones can make you more discoverable to new followers.

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Twitter is an amazing place because you can read the tweets of anyone; famous authors, celebrities, your sister-in-law’s cousin’s next-door-neighbor… but use some common sense. Don’t be that person answering every single tweet from a big-name author, or creep out an average person by favoriting every single tweet they post. Ask youself: Does this person follow me? Do they answer and favorite my tweets? Will this be the first or second time I’ve interacted with them today? If the answer is “No” to at least one of these, slow down. If the answer is no to all of them, then definitely don’t do it.

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Provide content on Twitter. It’s not just a place for emotional rants, sub-tweets(when you try to call someone out without actually calling them out) and retweeting all the time. Interact with people. Make friends. Share pictures of your city, gifs of your fav shows, funny thoughts.  Don’t share photos of other people, or kids though. Remember. Twitter isn’t like Facebook. It’s very, very not private.  Anything you share, rude, funny, embarrassing, whatever, may become viral.

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Twitter also isn’t a marketplace. Constantly tweeting links asking people to buy your books, your art, your collection of bannana peels won’t result in many sales, and in fact, a lot of people will mute or block you. Aim for one sales-based tweet a week or so, more if you’re gearing up for a launch, but never more than three times a day.

Don’t schedule the same sales tweet to show up multiple times. That might work for commercials, but it doesn’t work for Twitter. Likewise, don’t constantly retweet other people’s sales tweets. DO NOT ever auto-dm people. Most Twitter users will auto-unfollow someone who does this. It’s annoying, rude, and makes it seem like you’re only on Twitter to sell things.

giphy

Not the right attitude for Twitter

Finally, be nice to people. There’s a real live person behind every twitter account (except for the spam accounts.) Try to treat them like real people. Don’t jump on a tweet and try and turn it into an argument. Don’t pester people begging for a retweet or to be noticed. Don’t send creepy DMs.

Be kind.

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And if you got through this whole lecture, and want to be my Twitter friend, find me at @writer_carrie (link here)